Conference Summary-ADRD: Challenges & Opportunities

Conference Summary - Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias

Research Challenges and Opportunities

Sponsored by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
In collaboration with: National Institute on Aging
With support from: Alliance for Aging Research, Alzheimer’s Association, Association for Frontotemporal Dementia, USAgainst Alzheimer’s
May 1-2, 2013
NIH Campus, Natcher Auditorium Bethesda, Maryland, United States

The Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD) conference addressed research priorities for Alzheimer's disease-related dementias, identified in the 2012 National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s disease as frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), Lewy body (LBD), mixed, and vascular dementia. Organized by the NINDS in collaboration with the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the conference is part of the 2012 National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease and is complementary to NIA's Alzheimer's Disease Research Summit 2012. The objective of the ADRD conference was to inform the National Plan’s goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease, including Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias, by 2025.

The 2013 ADRD conference was the capstone of an iterative process to develop prioritized recommendations to guide scientific research in the next five to 10 years. This process started in the fall of 2012 and involved more than 80 national and international expert scientists, including a conference steering committee with NINDS Council members, the Chair of the NAPA Council, and representation from the NIA. Additional input from scientists as well as the public, including patients and their advocates, was gathered at the conference and is reflected in the final recommendations. Conference discussions were wide-ranging and addressed five topics: multiple etiology dementias and diagnostic challenges, health disparities, FTD, LBD, and vascular contributions to dementia. The sessions identified scientific opportunities across these topics, described knowledge gaps, and highlighted diagnostic needs. The final approved recommendations reflect the outcome of the pre-conference, conference, and post-conference efforts. Each prioritized recommendation includes a timeline that indicates anticipated time to completion or implementation of fully operational status.

All recommendations listed in the final report represent critical research goals. Indeed, inclusion in this report means that the research goal is among the top items in its respective field. The timelines represent the intervals from now to expected completion or full implementation, presuming that resources are available to start immediately, and are independent of prioritization. While there are several reasons why one recommendation might be expected to take longer than another, a longer time to completion or full implementation does not diminish a recommendation's priority.